Surah 3. Ali 'Imran

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Verses [Section]: 1-9[1], 10-20 [2], 21-30 [3], 31-41 [4], 42-54 [5], 55-63 [6], 64-71 [7], 72-80 [8], 81-91 [9], 92-101 [10], 102-109 [11], 110-120 [12], 121-129 [13], 130-143 [14], 144-148 [15], 149-155 [16], 156-172 [17], 173-180 [18], 181-187 [19], 188-200 [20]

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Quran Text of Verse 72-80وَ قَالَتْAnd saidطَّآىِٕفَةٌa groupمِّنْofاَهْلِ(the) Peopleالْكِتٰبِ(of) the BookاٰمِنُوْاBelieveبِالَّذِیْۤin whatاُنْزِلَwas revealedعَلَیonالَّذِیْنَthose whoاٰمَنُوْاbelieve[d]وَجْهَ(at the) beginningالنَّهَارِ(of) the dayوَ اكْفُرُوْۤاand rejectاٰخِرَهٗat its endلَعَلَّهُمْperhaps they mayیَرْجِعُوْنَۚۖreturn وَ لَاAnd (do) notتُؤْمِنُوْۤاbelieveاِلَّاexceptلِمَنْ(the one) whoتَبِعَfollowsدِیْنَكُمْ ؕyour religionقُلْSayاِنَّIndeedالْهُدٰیthe (true) guidanceهُدَی(is the) Guidanceاللّٰهِ ۙ(of) Allahاَنْlestیُّؤْتٰۤیis givenاَحَدٌ(to) oneمِّثْلَ(the) likeمَاۤ(of) whatاُوْتِیْتُمْwas given to youاَوْorیُحَآجُّوْكُمْthey may argue with youعِنْدَnearرَبِّكُمْ ؕyour LordقُلْSayاِنَّIndeedالْفَضْلَthe Bountyبِیَدِ(is) in the Handاللّٰهِ ۚ(of) AllahیُؤْتِیْهِHe gives itمَنْ(to) whomیَّشَآءُ ؕHe willsوَ اللّٰهُand Allahوَاسِعٌ(is) All-EncompassingعَلِیْمٌۚۙAll-Knowing یَّخْتَصُّHe choosesبِرَحْمَتِهٖfor His Mercyمَنْwhomیَّشَآءُ ؕHe willsوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahذُو(is) the Possessorالْفَضْلِ(of) Bountyالْعَظِیْمِ [the] great وَ مِنْAnd fromاَهْلِ(the) Peopleالْكِتٰبِ(of) the Bookمَنْ(is he) whoاِنْifتَاْمَنْهُyou entrust himبِقِنْطَارٍwith a great amount of wealthیُّؤَدِّهٖۤhe will return itاِلَیْكَ ۚto youوَ مِنْهُمْAnd from themمَّنْ(is he) whoاِنْifتَاْمَنْهُyou entrust himبِدِیْنَارٍwith a single coinلَّاnotیُؤَدِّهٖۤhe will return itاِلَیْكَto youاِلَّاexceptمَاthatدُمْتَyou keep constantlyعَلَیْهِover himقَآىِٕمًا ؕstandingذٰلِكَThatبِاَنَّهُمْ(is) because theyقَالُوْاsaidلَیْسَNotعَلَیْنَاon usفِیconcerningالْاُمِّیّٖنَthe unlettered peopleسَبِیْلٌ ۚany [way] (accountability)وَ یَقُوْلُوْنَAnd they sayعَلَیaboutاللّٰهِAllahالْكَذِبَthe lieوَ هُمْwhile theyیَعْلَمُوْنَ know بَلٰیNayمَنْwhoeverاَوْفٰیfulfillsبِعَهْدِهٖhis covenantوَ اتَّقٰیand fears (Allah)فَاِنَّthen indeedاللّٰهَAllahیُحِبُّlovesالْمُتَّقِیْنَ those who fear (Him) اِنَّIndeedالَّذِیْنَthose whoیَشْتَرُوْنَexchangeبِعَهْدِ(the) Covenantاللّٰهِ(of) Allahوَ اَیْمَانِهِمْand their oathsثَمَنًا(for) a priceقَلِیْلًاlittleاُولٰٓىِٕكَthoseلَاnoخَلَاقَshareلَهُمْfor themفِیinالْاٰخِرَةِthe Hereafterوَ لَاand notیُكَلِّمُهُمُwill speak to themاللّٰهُAllahوَ لَاand notیَنْظُرُlookاِلَیْهِمْat themیَوْمَ(on the) Dayالْقِیٰمَةِ(of) the Resurrectionوَ لَاand notیُزَكِّیْهِمْ ۪purify themوَ لَهُمْand for themعَذَابٌ(is) a punishmentاَلِیْمٌ painful 3. Ali 'Imran Page 60وَ اِنَّAnd indeedمِنْهُمْamong themلَفَرِیْقًاsurely (is) a groupیَّلْوٗنَthey distortاَلْسِنَتَهُمْtheir tonguesبِالْكِتٰبِin (reciting) the Bookلِتَحْسَبُوْهُso that you may think itمِنَ(is) fromالْكِتٰبِthe Bookوَ مَاand notهُوَitمِنَ(is) fromالْكِتٰبِ ۚthe Bookوَ یَقُوْلُوْنَAnd they sayهُوَItمِنْ(is)عِنْدِfromاللّٰهِAllahوَ مَاBut notهُوَitمِنْ(is)عِنْدِfromاللّٰهِ ۚAllahوَ یَقُوْلُوْنَAnd they sayعَلَیaboutاللّٰهِAllahالْكَذِبَthe lieوَ هُمْwhile theyیَعْلَمُوْنَ know مَاNotكَانَisلِبَشَرٍfor a humanاَنْthatیُّؤْتِیَهُgives himاللّٰهُAllahالْكِتٰبَthe Bookوَ الْحُكْمَand the wisdomوَ النُّبُوَّةَand the Prophethoodثُمَّthenیَقُوْلَhe saysلِلنَّاسِto the peopleكُوْنُوْاBeعِبَادًاworshippersلِّیْof meمِنْfromدُوْنِbesidesاللّٰهِAllahوَ لٰكِنْbut (would say)كُوْنُوْاBeرَبّٰنِیّٖنَworshippers of the Lordبِمَاbecauseكُنْتُمْyou have beenتُعَلِّمُوْنَteachingالْكِتٰبَthe Bookوَ بِمَاand becauseكُنْتُمْyou have beenتَدْرُسُوْنَۙstudying (it) وَ لَاAnd notیَاْمُرَكُمْhe will order youاَنْthatتَتَّخِذُواyou takeالْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةَthe Angelsوَ النَّبِیّٖنَand the Prophetsاَرْبَابًا ؕ(as) lordsاَیَاْمُرُكُمْWould he order youبِالْكُفْرِto [the] disbeliefبَعْدَafterاِذْ[when]اَنْتُمْyou (have become)مُّسْلِمُوْنَ۠Muslims

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Translation of Verse 72-80

72. And a section of the people of the Book says: “Believe in the morning in what is revealed to the believers, but reject at the end of the day, so that they may turn away.⁹²

73. “ And do not believe any except the one who follows your religion.” Say: “In fact true guidance is the guidance of Allah;⁹³ (lest it may happen) that any one should be given the like of that which was given to you, or that they should put up an argument⁹⁴ against you before your Lord.” Say: “The grace is in the hand of Allah; He bestows it upon anyone He pleases;⁹⁵ and Allah is Bounteous, Knowing.⁹⁶

74. For His mercy He chooses whom He pleases; and Allah is the Lord of Mighty Grace.

75. And there are among the people of the Book some who, if entrusted with a heap of goods, will pay it back; and there are others who, if entrusted with a single Dinar (silver coin), will not repay it unless you constantly stand demanding, that is because they say, “There is no responsibility upon us regarding these illiterates⁹⁷, ⁹⁸ (pagans).” And they ascribe a lie to Allah, while they know it.

76. Nay, those who fulfil their covenant and fear Allah, then verily Allah loves the Godfearing.

77. Those who sell Allah’s covenant and their oaths for a small price,⁹⁹ they shall have no share in the Hereafter; nor will Allah speak to them or look at them on the Day of Resurrection,¹⁰⁰ nor will He purify them; they shall have a painful punishment.

78. And there is a section among them who twist their tongues while reading the Book in such a way that you would think it is a part of the Book, whereas it is not a part of the Book;¹⁰¹ and they say: “It is from Allah,” whereas it is not from Allah. They ascribe the lie to Allah knowingly.

79. It is not possible for a human being to whom Allah has given the Book, the command and the prophethood to say to the people, “Be worshippers of me instead of Allah. “¹⁰² On the contrary, he will say: “Be true worshippers of Allah as is the demand of the Book which you teach others and which you yourselves read.

80. And he will never command you to take the angels and the prophets for lords. Would he command you to infidelity after you have become Muslims ?

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Commentary

92. This was a conspiracy of a group of Jews. Their scheme was that first they should embrace Islam and later on discard it and indulge in intensive propaganda against Islam so that the people may lose confidence in it.

93. This is a parenthetical sentence that has been stated by Allah as a rebuttal to the Jews. It means that the Jews talk of religiosity but that is not true guidance. The path of true guidance may be picked by man wherever he may find it, and this is a fact that the true guidance of Allah was sent down to prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) in the form of Quran and to reject it just because there is no stamp of our religion on that guidance or that the people of our religion have not accepted it is to deprive man of light. After this there remains mere ‘religiosity’ as his lot, Allah’s guidance does not go to his share.

94. This is the saying of the Jews. They used to say among themselves that they should not accept what the Prophet says, otherwise they would have to accept the Prophethood of that man and in that case the distinction of Bani Israil that only their race was entitled to have prophets would be terminated; and that if they accepted what the prophet said without accepting his prophethood, then on the Day of Judgement Muslims would have a chance to argue against them. (Please see Surah Baqarah Note No.97).

95. Prophethood is a great favour from Allah. He grants it to whomsoever He pleases.

96. That is: Allah is neither short-sighted (narrowminded) nor is His knowledge limited that He may make a wrong decision in the matter of granting prophethood.

97. By the illiterates (pagans) are meant Bani Ismail.

98. This saying of the Jews discloses their mentality. They had reserved the prohibition of dishonesty and usury for their own race, while dishonest dealings with other nations and races was considered permissible. Their theologians had included these invented religious decrees in the Torah, which resulted in the practice of such a racial prejudice in them that they began to distinguish between their own race and others in the matter of even moral conduct and on account of these wrong religious decrees they did not hesitate in usurping the properties of other communities. Accordingly, it is stated in the Bible:

“To a foreigner you may lend upon interest, but to your brother you shall not lend upon interest; “ ( Deuteronomy 23 : 20)

Quran is highly critical of this mentality and does not allow unjust dealing with anybody, whether he be a Muslim or a non-Muslim, a faithful or an infidel a person belonging to one’s own nation or an alien. There is no dearth of persons among Muslims. who take the support of wrong ‘fatwas’and consider dealing in interest (usury) with the non-Muslims as permissible. But this verse of Quran is sufficient to render such wrong “fatwas” false.

99. By Allah’s covenant is meant Allah’s worship and the pledge to obey Him and by oaths are meant particularly those oaths which are taken while making promises and pledge with the people. Selling for a small price means to prefer the mean and temporary interests of the world to the everlasting benefits in the Hereafter.

100. That is: He will not look at them with the favour.

101. Refers to that mischief of the Jews which they used to commit to conceal the truth by reading the divine book in such a way that its meaning changed totally.

Examples of such distortion can be found even among the believers in Quran also as some “ahle bidat’ (indulgers ill innovations) who do not believe that the prophet was man read the verse:

“Qul Innama ana basharum mislukum”(say: I am a man like you) as

“Qul Inna ma ana basharum mislukum” Say: I am surely not a man like you.”

That is they read the word “Innama” separately as ‘Inna’ and ‘ma.’”This distortion changes the meaning of the verse completely.

102. This refutes all the polytheistic beliefs of religious book and had ascribed them to the prophets. Quran says that it cannot be the teaching of any prophet that they would ask them to worship any being other than Allah or should grant the place of God to the angels and the prophet. If such teaching are found in any religious book then they cannot be the teaching of any prophet but they are merely invented assertion that have been ascribed to God and the prophets. This is the standard of truth and all the teachings ascribed to the prophet should be tested according to this standard.